7.4.2 MEDITATION GUIDANCE
Most T.M. teachers on the basis of their training, do not
have the necessary knowledge and experience to grasp the
existing personal situation of the meditator or to
recognize mental disorders in their beginning stages.
Meditation is generally understood to be an inner-personal
process that requires careful guidance and an
understanding and empathy on the part of the meditation
teacher.
Elsewhere, particularly in Asia in relation to meditation,
the personal individual dialogue between the master and
his student is a continuous process. The master has
undertaken responsibility for the student. On the basis of
his own experiences he can correct wrong development and
promote the inner evolution of his student. This dialogue
which exists purely on the basis of a trusting personal
relationship is replaced in the T.M. order of things by a
neutral standardized monitoring process. Problems are to
be solved in a systematic manner by a 30-point system and
increased meditation. The personal situation or problems
of the meditator will not be investigated. Maharishi Yogi
says to his T.M. teachers in the secret checking
instructions:
We do not involve ourselves in discussion during checking
and we don't try to investigate mistakes. We impart to the
meditator only the experience of effortless natural
thinking. Whatever the complaints made about the
meditation, whatever the problem is; we go through the
necessary checking points, and he will feel better.
Before we begin with the checking, we listen, just for one
or two minutes, with interest and patience, to his
experiences with the meditation; but only if he insists on
speaking, we do this so that he will see our
participation. Otherwise we don't get involved in
answering questions and don't try to find out the mistakes
in his meditating procedure.
In the same way as the psycho-technique "T.M." functions,
so the checking of that meditation. Both fail where
difficulties appear.
7.8 RESUME
It is not the task of this chapter to refer once again to
the individual results tabulated in previous chapters. The
summaries at the end of those chapters suffice in this
regard. We rather wish to identify and interpret some
basic structures of T.M.
The initiation into the practice of T.M. is geared towards
increasing the emotional openness of the meditator. On the
basis of this increased opening up, an unreserved
acceptance of the teachings as spread by Maharishi
follows.
The acceptance of these teachings causes a loss in the
sense of reality, altered social attitudes, which
themselves lead to a breaking off of or reduction in
contacts to the world of non-meditators.
The 'one-to-one' type of relationship is replaced by a
narcissistic ego-centric "me" type of relationship.
Negative experiences with the meditation are seen as
"unstressing" and are blamed on earlier development (pre-
T.M.) or on the negative karma of the meditator's
surroundings.
The overcoming of these 'knots of stress" leads to more
intensive meditation and increased isolation.
Increased isolation is equivalent to promotion within the
T.M. organization.
The public-oriented claims of the T.M. movement do not
correspond with their aims: The T.M. movement claims that
T.M. is only a relaxation technique. it is in fact a
religious method and world-view.
Social, mental, and physical disturbances are the result
of increased delicacy and helplessness, which are caused
by the meditation. The secondary effects which result,
described as "release of stress", can lead to severe
mental illness/damage. The recommendation given by the
T.M. organization in such instances, i.e. to increase the
mediation to longer periods; is dangerous.
There is no satisfactory follow-up procedure of care for
meditators. Experiences had of meditation are dealt with
by the so called "checking' procedure, which is completely
inadequate: This means that the meditator is afforded a
guidance which is irresponsible.
The isolation spoken of corresponds with the formation of
Sidha-lands, where only meditators can live and work.
The proclaimed responsibility for the world does not
correspond with a withdrawal from it.
The result of this development is that very many
meditators are led into the illusion of a better world, at
the cost of real everyday life, and past real people.
"Enlightened consciousness" does not bear well 'ordinary'
contact with non-meditators, who therefore are experienced
as being a hinderance[sic].
Every individual needs the people of his environment as a
"corrective", since "our neighbor" does not really stand
in our way, rather, he is the guardian angel who stands
at the brink of the abyss, and saves us from gliding off
into the realm of illusion.
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